ByMikayla Pozorski
Today at 10:21 AM
Jennifer Perez is the owner of Worthington Nutrition, a storefront that opened seven months ago at the corner of 10th Street and Second Avenue
Although it is Perez’s first business, she is no stranger to the hustle and bustle of what it means to be a business owner. Her parents owned Tienda Y Libreria Guatemala, a business that was located across the street from where Worthington Nutrition now operates
Perez said watching her parents run their business helped influence her decision to open a storefront of her own. Her family’s experience with Herbalife also gave her a foundation in the nutrition industry before she became a business owner herself
“I didn’t go to school, and then I had a baby, so I told myself that I needed to give something to him, and I knew working for a company wouldn’t give me much time to spend with him. Since my parents have been doing Herbalife for about 20 years, I decided to take this step,” Perez said
Herbalife sells supplements and nutrition products designed to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle. Perez has incorporated those products into Worthington Nutrition, offering customers a variety of options focused on energy, fitness and nutrition
The shop sells loaded teas, protein shakes, tea packets, protein snacks and protein coffees
“We have a little bit of everything,” Perez said. “Stuff for weight loss, energy and products for athletes.”
Since opening in January, Perez said she has been encouraged by the response from customers and the surrounding community
“I never thought I would receive so much support,” Perez said. “The community has been very happy, and we love serving them.”
While the support has helped the business grow, Perez said becoming a first-time business owner has also required her to learn many aspects of running a company
“I’m the first one starting this type of business, so I’m having to learn everything,” Perez said. “Everything is on me, so that’s the hardest part.”
Worthington Nutrition is family-owned and operated and currently has two employees. Perez said having support from her family has helped her manage the challenges that come with owning a new business
“We’re very supportive,” Perez said
For Perez, the business has become more than selling products. She said connecting with customers and creating relationships within the community has been one of the most rewarding parts of owning the shop
“The best part has been engaging with our community, and getting to know a lot of new faces,” Perez said. “I enjoy talking to everyone and building a community.”
Perez said she has also seen many younger customers visiting the store and looking for alternatives to traditional energy drinks
“I’ve noticed that we have a lot of young people, and healthy energy is something we need,” Perez said. “I’ve never had an energy drink because I’ve always been taught that they’re very harmful, and this has been an alternative to bring in a lot of youth.”
Opening Worthington Nutrition also came during a major transition in Perez’s personal life. Around the same time she started the business, she also became a mother
My baby was born around the same time I started the business, so it’s like I’m raising two babies.
Jennifer Perez
“My baby was born around the same time I started the business,” Perez said. “So it’s like I’m raising two babies.”
Perez said her parents have continued to play an important role in helping her navigate business ownership
“My parents help me a lot, so it hasn’t been as hard,” Perez said. “I’m building everything from scratch, and I’m learning. My dad has been a big support here. He’s known the products way longer than I have.”
Worthington Nutrition is open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends at 201 10th St. Perez said she is considering opening another location in the future, although she has not yet decided on an exact location
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Perez has noticed customers from surrounding communities are having to travel to her location because similar businesses are not available closer to where they live
“A lot of people from surrounding towns come in because they don’t have anything like this near them, so they always have to travel,” Perez said
For those who have not yet visited the store, Perez recommends trying one of the shop’s most popular drinks
“Stop in and try our top seller, which is the watermelon crawl, and see what the hype is all about,” Perez said
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